Page:The Swedenborg Library Vol 1.djvu/54

 the latest. They consisted chiefly of adulteries and whoredoms.

There were some who had deceived others by wicked arts, and who had stolen. Their tricks and thefts were also enumerated in order, although many of them were known to scarcely any one in the world except themselves alone. They also acknowledged them because they were made manifest as in the light, together with every thought, intention, delight and fear which passed through their minds at the time.

There were others who had accepted bribes and made gain of judgment. These were in like manner explored from their memory, and from it were recounted all their official misdeeds from first to last. Every particular was recalled,—the amount and nature of each bribe, the time when it was offered, their state of mind and intention in accepting it, were all at the same time brought to their recollection and visibly exhibited; and the number of their offences amounted to many hundreds. This was done in several cases; and, what is wonderful, even their memorandum-books themselves, wherein they had made a record of such transactions, were opened and read before them page by page.

There were others who had enticed virgins to acts of fornication, and who had violated chastity. These were called to a similar judgment, and every particular of their crimes was drawn forth and recited from their memory; the very faces of the virgins